How to play RIP? I'm not sure. I think they'll start AI at the 1. He HAS proven that he can be a distributor, and Billups wasn't a pass first point guard either, so the players on that team should be used to it. AI will provide dribble penetration as always, and this should allow rip to get even better looks than he did before. He'll hit them like he always does. Stuckey will sub in for either Rip or AI and the remaining guy will play the 2. So really, a 3 guard rotation for the 1 and 2 spots. That should work out really well for them. Rip can exert a greater effort on D because he'll get more rest. AI will be more effective in the playoffs because he wont have to be pedal to the floor 40 minutes a game. Stuckey will be fine.

Dumars knows his time is extremely limited. He knows Rasheed's time is extremely limited. Unfortunately, Boston isn't going anywhere. To make matters worse, they can't even beat Cleveland in the playoffs anymore. Detroit fans, unlike the Knicks fandom of which I am a part of, don't want anything less than a championship.

When you try the same formula 2 years in a row and don't get into the finals, and YOUR players are aging when your CONFERENCE is getting better, there is NOTHING you can do except take one last swing and prepare to rebuild. Chauncey's contract is a long one. Looking at Rasheed's contract as well, they should be within reach of being under the cap in as little as 2 years. (Which is the year that Wade, Bosh, Lebron are all free agents).

In addition, they have the answer (pun intended) to fix the problem they've had in their last 2 playoffs series losses... the inability to score. We've always known these guys can defend. But Rasheed just isn't the reliable 20 pt guy he used to be, and unfortunately, neither was mr. big shot. AI still has it. When you need a bucket, you can still count on him to give it to you. Dumars KNEW that the lineup they've had wouldnt work. Because he tried it twice in the last two years and it didnt work.

The only thing left to do is make one move that wont jeopardize the future. Not only does bringing in AI serve as making that one move, but it actually makes the future a lot more accomodable for future talent.

+1 Watching the finals last year, it was obvious that Billups doesn't have much left. He's a huge point guard, but he had trouble defending Clevelands point guards, who are mediocre at best. The only guy in Detroits starting lineup under 30 I think is Prince. The Pistons underachieved for years after Brown left and Dumars had enough of it. More than anyone, if he would get rid of Rasheed. That guy would rather shoot and miss threes than go bang with other big fellas.

Iverson gives them a dynamic scorer and don't underestimate him moving to a team that give him a chance to win a title. I think he's going to be motivated to have a great year. There are players there who are great defenders. He, along with Rip, will be the gunslingers.

+1 Watching the finals last year, it was obvious that Billups doesn't have much left. He's a huge point guard, but he had trouble defending Clevelands point guards, who are mediocre at best. The only guy in Detroits starting lineup under 30 I think is Prince. The Pistons underachieved for years after Brown left and Dumars had enough of it. More than anyone, if he would get rid of Rasheed. That guy would rather shoot and miss threes than go bang with other big fellas.

Iverson gives them a dynamic scorer and don't underestimate him moving to a team that give him a chance to win a title. I think he's going to be motivated to have a great year. There are players there who are great defenders. He, along with Rip, will be the gunslingers.

Billups had to guard a few players on the other team including Lebron. I think he is a more than capable defender even for a big PG.

As for Rip... The problem I see with his style and AI is that if AI is dashing around, defenders are going to be around. If they are around, there's less room for Rip to run around and use picks to get open for those open jump shots. I'm very interested to see how this is going to work. I would hate to see him lose the Reggie Miller style and be a spot up shooter somewhere.

Billups had to guard a few players on the other team including Lebron. I think he was a more than capable defender even for a big PG.

As for Rip... The problem I see with his style and AI is that if AI is dashing around, defenders are going to be around. If they are around, there's less room for Rip to run around and use picks to get open for those open jump shots. I'm very interested to see how this is going to work. I would hate to see him lose the Reggie Miller style and be a spot up shooter somewhere.

Corrected.

You've got the Billups of 2004 in your head still. He's lost a step and a half and that was BEFORE he got hurt and didn't play the rest of the series.

It's amazing how boring it is to watch the Eastern Conference play basketball. Defense wins championships I suppose.

No, I actually love watching defensive teams do their thing. 2004 Pistons and the recent Spurs teams are great stuff imo. It's just waiting for the Eastern conference finals makes me not want to watch. For the past few years, it's just been seed 1 and 2 bulldozing their way into the finals, and THEN we get a good series.

Good defense teams make the other team look terrible, and that's just fun haha. It was amazing last year when NO faced SA in Game 7. Chris Paul just had a basketball meltdown, but the young guy kept his composure even when his team was going bonkers! Very impressive stuff!